3 Survival Uses for Soda Cans

It’s a shame when hiking in a remote area with pristine wilderness to find trash that careless people have left behind. But if you are struggling to survive in that same wilderness, that trash might look a lot better. One common item that can be found even in remote areas that has potential for use in a wilderness survival situation is a soda can. Here are 3 ways that you can make use of a soda can for wilderness survival.

Fire Starter

You can start a fire with nothing more than a soda can, if it’s sunny day. Clean the bottom of the can until it shines. Point the polished bottom of the can towards the sun, position your tinder between the sun and can, but low enough that it doesn’t block the light. Move it back and forth until you find the spot with the most heat, this should be just a few inches away.

Lantern

Cut two horizontal slits in the can, one just below the top, and one an inch from the bottom. Both slits should be about 4 inches long. Then connect them with a vertical slit. This will form two doors that can be opened to reveal the inside of the can. You can fill the inside of the can with pine resin and woody debris which can be burnt to provide light. The shiny inside of the can will reflect the light out, amplifying its effect.

Fish Hook

You can modify the tab on top of the can to be used as a fishing hook. The tap resembles an “8” with one circle larger than the other. If you remove a section of the larger circle it already starts to take shape as a hook, sharpen the tip and create a barb to finish it. Your line can be threaded through the smaller, intact circle. The inner, white threads from paracord will work well for this.

One man’s trash is another man’s life-saving survival gear, if he knows how to use it.